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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28257216">simple steps</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TellMeYellMe/pseuds/TellMeYellMe'>TellMeYellMe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5, Persona Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Drabble, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Running, Running Feelings, Ryuji deserves the best, running thoughts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:42:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>400</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28257216</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TellMeYellMe/pseuds/TellMeYellMe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Though the path to change may be difficult, Ryuji will head towards it one step at a time.</p>
<p>(or, thoughts that Ryuji has while he runs).</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>The Persona Fun in the Sun (Arcana) Zine Holiday Exchange</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>simple steps</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello! This is a very special for KING!!! Hi! I'm your gift giver! I really hope that you enjoy this! I had a lot of fun writing this and it took me back to my cross country days. Ah running.... it's fun but difficult. Maybe some day I'll run again. But for now, just remembering is enough for me.</p>
<p>Anyway, HAPPY HOLIDAYS KING!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The cold air whips around Ryuji’s head, breathes an icy fire into his chest, and makes his bad leg ache. It burns, not horribly but uncomfortably, and his body screams at him to <em> stop, stop, stop. </em></p>
<p>Yet Ryuji keeps running. Tells himself to keep pushing forward. One more step, then one more step after that, then one more step after that. He runs, back straight, eyes forward, his arms carefully arched and his fists clenched as he huffs and puffs.</p>
<p>“Looking cool Skull,” he mumbles. He knows it’s a bit pathetic, hyping himself up, but in moments like these he’s taken back to the darkened walls of Mementos, the glimmering shine of Palaces, and he feels the mask of Skull fall back onto his face, a constant reminder that he can do it.</p>
<p>Right now, he’s running towards a bench. His end goal. At this pace, it looks like it’ll be thirty more seconds. Twenty seconds if he sprints. Should he sprint? He feels like his lungs might pop out of his chest if he does sprint. His body doesn’t want to push itself more than this. The thoughts of <em> I’m tired </em> and <em> This is good enough </em> echo in his mind. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>But at the same time, all the piling thoughts of <em> no no no </em> makes him want to do it.</p>
<p>So he pushes. He sprints.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cold air claws at his lungs, his bad leg trembles, and he can hear his blood pumping in his ears. Yet he feels an exhilaration, a sense of truly living, as he sprints.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fifteen seconds…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Go Skull,” he says to himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ten seconds….the final five….</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Go!” he yells over his heartbeat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He speeds past the bench, taking several more decisive steps before he slows to a final stop. Every single complaint his body had attacks him at once as he bends over, hands on his knees, and greedily sucks in the air. He closes his eyes.</p>
<p>“You did it Skull,” he says, sounding hoarse and triumphant, “I did it.”</p>
<p>He may never be able to run like he used to but for the first time in a long time, he doesn’t mind. It’s no longer the competition that appeals to him. No, it’s his growth, his own improving abilities, that makes him giddy to run. Ryuji grins.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I think I earned myself a gyudon…” he whispers then cheekily adds, “with extra pickled ginger.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This work is a part of the Persona Fun in the Sun (Arcana!) Holiday Exchange. Learn more on:<br/><a href="https://twitter.com/personasummer">Twitter</a><br/><a href="https://personasummerzine.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a><br/><a href="https://personasummerzine.carrd.co/">Carrd</a> .</p></blockquote></div></div>
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